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Pope in Santa Marta: God is compassionate not indifferent

In his daily homily at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis reflected on a recent photograph he saw of people leaving a restaurant and ignoring a homeless person. He said this indifference to other peoples needs must be overcome by following Jesus example.

POPE FRANCIS“'I have everything. I’ve assured my place in this life and the next, since I go to Mass every Sunday. I’m a good Christian. However, leaving the restaurant, I look the other way.’ Let’s reflect on God, who takes the first step, is compassionate and is merciful, many times our attitude is indifference.”

The pope offered the Mass for Arch. Giorgio Zur who had died on Monday. He lived in Casa Santa Marta and was Apostolic Nuncio to Austria.

EXTRACTS FROM POPE'S HOMILY (Source: Vatican News)

“This first step God takes is His Son. He sent Him to save us and to give meaning to our lives and to renew and recreate us.”

“God’s heart, Jesus’ heart, was moved when he saw these people, and he could not remain indifferent. Love is restless. Love does not tolerate indifference; love is compassionate. But love means putting your heart on the line for others; it means [showing] mercy.”

“The disciples were not interested in the people. Jesus was interested, because he cared for them. They weren’t evil, just indifferent. They didn’t know what it meant to love. They didn’t know how to show compassion. They didn’t know what indifference was. They had to sin, betray the Master, and abandon him in order to understand the core of compassion and mercy. And Jesus’ response cuts deep: ‘Give them some food yourselves.’ Take their plight upon yourselves. This is the struggle between the compassion of Jesus and indifference, which is always repeated throughout history. Many people who are good, but don’t understand the needs of others, are incapable of compassion. They are good people, maybe because the love of God has not entered into their heart or they have not let it enter.”

“The more-common opposite of the love of God – of God’s compassion – is indifference. ‘I’m satisfied; I lack nothing. I have everything. I’ve assured my place in this life and the next, since I go to Mass every Sunday. I’m a good Christian. But leaving the restaurant, I look the other way.’ Let’s reflect on this: Confronted with God who takes the first step, is compassionate, and is merciful, many times our attitude is indifference. Let us pray to the Lord that He heal humanity, starting with us. May my heart be healed from the sickness of the culture of indifference.”